Apparatus for conjointly doffing and donning a plurality of bobbins or tubes placed on spindles of ring spinning and ring twisting machines

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for jointly doffing and donning a plurality of bobbins or tubes respectively, placed upon spindles of a ring spinning or ring twisting machine, which comprises a support member extending over a plurality of spindles, said support member being provided with stops arranged at a mutual distance from one another substantially corresponding to the spindle gauge. The stops protrude in the direction of the spindles. A hose member is supported on the side of the support member directed away from the stops, this hose member being deformable under the influence of a pressurized medium and serving to grip the bobbins or tubes brought between the hose member and the stops.

United States Patent Burgermeister et a].

[72] Inventors: Ulrich Burgermeister, Winterthur; Carlo Gaggini, Elgg, both of Switzerland Rieter Machine Works, Ltd., Winterthur, Switzerland 221 Filed: 0&4, 1970 21 Appl.No.: 95,180

[73] Assignee:

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 18, 1969 Switzerland ..18902 52 U.S.Cl ..57/52 51 Int.CI... .D0lh9/08 [58] Field ofSearch ..57 52 54 51 June 6, 1972 Primary Examiner.lohn Petrakes Attorney-Werner W. Kleeman ABSTRACT An apparatus for jointly doffing and donning a plurality of bobbins or tubes respectively, placed upon spindles of a ring spinning or ring twisting machine, which comprises a support member extending over a plurality of spindles, said support member being provided with stops arranged at a mutual distance from one another substantially corresponding to the spindle gauge. The stops protrude in the direction of the spindles. A hose member is supported on the side of the support member directed away from the stops, this hose member being deformable under the influence of a pressurized medium and serving to grip the bobbins or tubes brought between the hose member and the stops.

16 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUH 6 I972 SHEET 1 [1F 2 INVENTOR. (/4 may BURGERMEISTER CHRLO GHGGIN/ BY APPARATUS FOR CONJOINTLY DOFFING AND DONNING A PLURALITY OF BOBBINS OR TUBES PLACED ON SPINDLES OF RING SPINNING AND RING TWISTING MACHINES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improved apparatus for conjointly dofiing and donning a plurality of bobbins or tubes placed upon spindles of a ring spinning or ring twisting machine.

It is already known to the art in a ring spinning machine to collectively doff a plurality of bobbins, i.e. tubes onto .which a yam package has been wound, from the spindles of a ring spinning frame and in the same manner to don empty tubes onto those spindles. For this purpose there is provided a support extending along the machine, which can be moved up and down as well as away and towards the machine frame, which support is equipped with gripping elements arranged at a spacing corresponding to the spindle gauge. These state-of-the-art gripping elements seize each tube by means of an expansible finger-like hose member inserted into the tube, typically the top of the tube. All these hose members or expansible tubes are inflated via a common compressed air duct and thus exert the gripping power needed for doffing the bobbins upwards away from the spindle. After doffing of the bobbins away from the spindles the support for the gripping elements is brought into a position suitable for releasing or dropping the tubes, whereupon the pressure generating the gripping power in the gripping elements is released so that the tubes, under the influence of gravity, drop out of the gripping elements.

The same support including the gripping elements arranged thereupon also serves for bringing empty tubes into position have the row of spindles, and then subsequently to lower them onto the spindles and don them. Such gripping elements possess severe disadvantages since in order to generate the considerable gripping power which is required by means of the usual pressures, the hose members must be very elastic. This, in turn, means that their walls are correspondingly thin. Thus there is the danger that if there is no tube on a spindle, the expansible hose members can burst or rupture due to the absence of any support during such time as such hose members are pressurized. Furthermore, with such gripping elements an individual or special pressure supply is needed for each gripping element. Such is, however, complicated in the case of a ring spinning frame with its large number of spindles since leakage at the connection points is to be avoided under all circumstances.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, there is still a real need existing in the art for improved apparatus for dofiing and donning a plurality of bobbins or tubes placed upon the spindles of ring spinning or ring twisting machines which is not associated with the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art constructions. Hence, a primary objective of the present invention relates to such improved type of apparatus which capably and reliably fulfills the existing need and is devoid of the aforementioned drawbacks present in the state-of-the-art structures.

Another object of the present invention not only aims at overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks, but additionally is concerned with the provision of reliable apparatus of the mentioned type which is relatively simple yet robust in construction, extensively maintenance-free and capable of operating without leakage losses.

Still a further significant object of the present invention is the provision of apparatus for doffing and donning a plurality of bobbins or tubes placed upon spindles of ring spinning and ring twisting machines which to a which to a large extent is independent of the precision and dimensions of the tubes or the like, while nonetheless reliably donning such tubes onto the spindles.

Yet a further very important object of the present invention relates to apparatus of the aforementioned type which is capable of handline even soft tubes, for instance tubes formed of paper, which can be doffed without damage thereto, and accordingly, importantly prevents the exertion of radial forces.

acting upon the tubes from all sides which might tend to compress or enlarge the tubes and thus damage same.

Now in order to implement these and still further object of the invention which will become more readily apparent as the description proceeds, the invention contemplates the provision of apparatus for dofirng and donning a plurality of bobbins or tubes placed upon the spindles of a ring spinning or ring twisting machine, which embodies a support member extending over a plurality of such spindles. According to the invention, this support member is provided with stops or impact members arranged at a mutual distance from one another substantially corresponding to the spindle gauge, these stops protruding in the direction of the spindles, and furthermore, is provided with a hose member supported on the side of the support member facing away from the stops. The hose member is deformed under the influence of the pressurized medium and serves for gripping the bobbins or tubes brought between the hose member and the stops.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the stops or impact members can be pins possessing an outside diameter which is smaller than the inside diameter of the tubes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above, will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic and partially cutaway view of a ring spinning frame embodying the inventive apparatus;

FIGS. 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 are respective cross-sectional views, each taken substantially along the line II II of FIG. I of different embodiments of gripping element;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional of the apparatus structure of FIG. 1, taken along the line I' I thereof;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line VIII VIII of FIG. 5, with the hose member depicted in its emptied state;

FIG. 9 is the same cross-sectional view as shown in FIG. 8, but here depicting the hose member partially emptied; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of another embodiment of support member, and gripper arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Describing now the drawings, in FIG. 1 there is depicted a ring spinning frame 3 provided with a gear end cabinet I and spindle rails 2 (one only being shown) and on both sides is equipped with a large number of spindles 4 arranged in a row. Empty tubes 5 are placed upon the spindles 4 and the yarn delivered by a conventional non-illustrated drafting system located thereabove is wound into a package. Upon completion of the winding operation the filled bobbins 6 are doffed from the spindles 4 and each is replaced by an empty tube 5. In order to conjointly undertake such doffing of the plurality of bobbins 6 and the donning of new empty tubes 5 at one side of the frame, the ring spinning machine 3 is advantageously provided with a support member 7 extending along a side of the machine.

The support member 7 possesses great stability and is shown in the fonn of an angled profile member which, as best seen by referring to FIG. 2, is in the shape of an inverted L. Moreover, such support member 7 possesses a horizontal leg 8 which is provided with fixed stops defined by rigid pins 9 arranged at a spacing from one another corresponding to the spindle gauge, these pins protruding downwards. A reinforced hose member 12 for compressed air extends along the angled support member 7 at the region of the adjoining inner surfaces 10 and 11 of the legs thereof, in other words along the side of the downwardly directed leg extending or facing away from the pins. This hose member 12 tends to assume a substantially circular shape when filled with a suitable pressurized medium and to bear against the tubes 5 or, in the absence of such tubes 5, against the pins 9. The hose member 12 also may be fabricated from an elastic material which permits circumferential enlargement of such hose member.

The entire support member 7 is supported by means of rods 13 in guides 14 (FIG. 1) in the ring spinning frame, so that it can be moved up and down and can be swung outwards. A motor-driven. winch 15 moves the rods 13 up and down by means of cables 16 or equivalent structure. The lower ends of the rods 13 are provided with pivotal or swingable arms 17, the ends of which are rotatably connected by means of bolts or studs 18 to the support member 7. The swinging or pivotal motion is effected by a pneumatic piston 19 which can act in either'direction, the piston rod 20 of which is hingedly connected to the bolt 18 and the cylinder 21 of which is pivotably or hingedly connected to the support member 7. The hose member 12 is alternately connected via a control valve 22 with a suitable pressure or vacuum source respectively, only the conduit lines of which are visible in FIG. 1. The pin 9 (FIG. 2) is adapted to the given taper angle a of the sleeve or tube to be donned so that an exactly vertical position of the tube or sleeve 5 is ensured while it is donned onto the spindles 4. This can be achieved by mounting a cylindrical pin 9 under an angle a with respect to the vertical (FIG. 2) or by using a vertically mounted tapered pin 9 (FIG. 4) with a cone angle a. Sliding down of the hose member 12 and its downward expansion -under the action of the pressure medium are prevented by means of a holding rail 23 (FIGS. 1 and 2).

Having now and the benefit of the foregoing discussion, the function of the apparatus will be considered and is as follows: After the bobbin 6 has reached its full package size and when dofiing of all bobbins at one side of the ring spinning frame must be carried out, the support member 7, which, at the beginning of the operation is in its preparatory position at the level or elevational position depicted in FIG. 1 or FIG. 5 respectively, is lowered into the position shown in FIG. 2 or FIG.'4 respectively, so that the pins 9 or 9' are inserted to a certain extent into the upper end of the associated tubes 5. Then the hose member 12 is pressurized via the valve member 22 so that such hose member 12 first contacts or bears against the portion of the associated tube 5 which is free of yarn and subsequently against the conical part 24 of the bobbin package, and such that the tube 5 is pressed against the pin 9 or 9'. For better contact of the tube 5 against the pin 9 or 9' the surface of pin 9 can be rough, e.g.. knurled (FIGS. 1 and 2). The hose member 12 at full nominal or terminal pressure partially surrounds the circumference of the tube 5, the position of which is thus also stabilized in the plane A (FIG. 3). Then the support member 7 is lifted and the bobbin 6 is doffed-off the spindle 4 so that the lower end of the tube 5 is located above the spindle tip 26. Subsequently, the piston member 19, by means of appropriate non-illustrated control means, is caused to move out or be extended so that the sup port member 7swings out along a circular path to certain ex tent from the spindles 4. Then the valve member or unit 22 is switched to the vacuum connection which causes the hose 12 to collapse into the position indicated in broken or phantom lines in FIG. 4. Thus the tube 5 is freed and can drop vertically down from the pin 9 or 9 respectively, whereupon the tube as a rule is taken over by a suitable non-illustrated collecting device. For donning the empty tubes 5 the hose member 12 is again pressurized by switching the valve unit 22 to the pressure connection, and the tubes 5 are pushed upwards against the pressure of the hose member 12 in any desired manner, e.g., by hand or mechanically, onto the pins 9 so that they are held there in vertical position. The support member 7 is then moved back to the donning position, a tube length vertically above the starting position according to FIG. 1, whereupon the support member is lowered and the tubes 5 are pushed onto the spindles 4 under the influence of the support member 7. Then the pressure in hose member 12 is released and the support member 7 is lifted somewhat, i.e., to assume the starting position according to FIG. 1 and the spinning process can be resumed.

Instead of evacuating the hose member 12 by connecting it to a vacuum source, the hose pressure also only can be released or deflated to atmospheric pressure by draining-off the pressure medium. In this case, however, the structural elasticity of the hose member must be small enough that there are only generated holding forces which are smaller than the bobbin weight. If this cannot be achieved, it is also possible to I arrange springs 29 between the pins '27 and the support member 28, which springs 29 are correspondingly tensioned as the hose 30 is inflated (cf. FIGS. 5 and 6).

If it is undesirable for all of the full bobbins to be dropped at the same moment as the air pressureis released, as this might cause disorderly deposit of the bobbins, for instance upon a collecting device, this can be easily avoided by meansof springs 31 to 35 (FIG. 9) of differing characteristics, wherein the strong spring 31 pushes the hose member 30 back very quickly into its shape as shown for example in FIGS. 5 and 8 while weaker springs, such as for instance the springs 32, 33 and 34 need somewhat more time for'the same movement, so that the associated bobbin also drops somewhat later. In this manner, dropping of the bobbins can be staggered over a certain time interval without use of any control mechanism.

An alternative arrangement which is to be taken into consideration is shown in FIG. 7 where the previously discussed pins are replaced by suitable shaped hood member 36 partially surrounding the top of the associated tube 5. This hood member 36 is provided with an inside surface 37 corresponding to the tube taper and adjacent to which there is arranged a substantially funnel-shaped enlarged portion which takes care of or accommodates the conical portion 38 of the yarn package. v

A further embodiment is shown in FIG. 10 where two stops in the form of pins 39 and 40 are provided instead of only one stop and which here also are arranged at a distance from one another substantially corresponding to the spindle gauge. In order to ensure proper alignment of the tubes to be doffed or donned with the spindle situated therebelow these pins 39 and 40 are laterally offset by a distance t/2 and bya distancea inwardly of the spinning frame, as best seen by referring to FIG. 10. The pins 39 and 40 again must be adapted to the outside shape of the tubes 41 or the bobbins respectively. Their total number is larger by only one unit compared with the arrangement previously described. As the hose member 42 is inflated the tube 41 is pressed between the pins 39 and 40 so that the requisite holding force is generated.

The heretofore described embodiments of the invention are advantageous since in the extreme case only one single continuous hose member, i.e. only one single pressure sensitive element, is needed for one whole machine side. Considerably higher pressures can be used as the hose member is supported at distances corresponding to the spindle gauge even if a tube is accidentally missing, so that the danger of bursting of the hose member is considerably reduced. This results in a further advantage, namely, much higher gripping and thus doffing forces can be applied than heretofore possible, and thus, the reliability of the apparatus is considerably improved.

It is a further advantage of the invention that reinforced hoses or hose members permitting the application of high pressures can be used since gripping can be effected by the deformation of the cross-sectional shape of the hose member merely due to the internal pressure in the event that the use of a hose member which is expandable elastically under pressure is not possible for certain reasons, for instance if any explov sions must be absolutely avoided.

A further advantage consists in that the stop means must not necessarily correspond to the exact dimensions of the tube. Thus, for example, the pin diameter can be chosen considerably smaller than the inside diameter of the tube which arrangement considerably facilitates insertion of the pins into the tubes. The hose member, also under such circumstances, by contactingly hugging or bearing against the tube takes care of proper vertical guiding of such tube.

It is yet a further advantage of this invention that the tubes are clamped practically along a vertical line on their surfaces. Thus pressure on the tube wall is exerted only against a stop so that very soft tubes can be handled. Also proper alignment of freshly placed tubes in a plane imagined to be at a right angle to the lengthwise axis of the machine automatically is established in this manner so that donning of the tubes can be effected precisely and reliably.

While there is shown and described present preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims. Accordingly,

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for jointly dofiing and donning a plurality of bobbins or tubes respectively, placed upon spindles of a ring spinning or ring twisting machine, comprising a support member extending over a plurality of spindles, said support member being provided with stops arranged at a mutual distance from one another substantially corresponding to the spindle gauge, said stops protruding in the direction of the spindles, and a hose member supported on the side of the sup port member directed away from the stops, said hose member being deformable under the influence of a pressurized medium and serving to grip the bobbins or tubes brought between the hose member and the stops.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said stops comprise pin members possessing outside dimensions smaller than the inside diameter of the tubes.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the side of each stop facing said hose member is provided with a surface profile substantially coinciding in inclination and direction with the tube to be held at this location.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein each member possesses a substantially cylindrical shape and that its lengthwise axis as compared with the vertical substantially corresponds to the taper angle of the tube.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the shape of each pin member is substantially conical and substantially corresponds to the taper angle of the tube.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein each stop comprises an element which can be placed from the outside against the associated tube, said element being provided with a surface adapted at its upper region to the taper of the tube and adapted at its lower region to the yarn package.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein means are provided for supporting said hose member at three sides.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including a controllable valve for operably connecting said hose member with a pressure source.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including means for collapsing said hose member.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said collapsing means comprise a controllable valve for connecting said hose member with a vacuum source.

1 1. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said means for collapsing said hose member are effective in a sequence staggered over a certain time interval.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said means for collapsing the hose member are restoring springs arranged between the stops and acting against the hose member.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said springs possess different spring characteristics.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said stops are arranged in offset relationship relative to the spindles by approximately one-half the spindle gauge and in a direction towards the interior of the machine, the outside profile of said stops bein adapted to the outside rofile of the tube and the yarn pac age in order to hol the tube and bobbin therebetween.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said hose member is formed from a non-elastic expandable material.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein said hose member is formed from a reinforced flexible material. 

1. An apparatus for jointly doffing and donning a plurality of bobbins or tubes respectively, placed upon spindles of a ring spinning or ring twisting machine, comprising a support member extending over a plurality of spindles, said support member being provided with stops arranged at a mutual distance from one another substantially corresponding to the spindle gauge, said stops protruding in the direction of the spindles, and a hose member supported on the side of the support member directed away from the stops, said hose member being deformable under the influence of a pressurized medium and serving to grip the bobbins or tubes brought between the hose member and the stops.
 2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said stops comprise pin members possessing outside dimensions smaller than the inside diameter of the tubes.
 3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the side of each stop facing said hose member is provided with a surface profile substantially coinciding in inclination and direction with the tube to be held at this location.
 4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein each member possesses a substantially cylindrical shape and that its lengthwise axis as compared with thE vertical substantially corresponds to the taper angle of the tube.
 5. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the shape of each pin member is substantially conical and substantially corresponds to the taper angle of the tube.
 6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein each stop comprises an element which can be placed from the outside against the associated tube, said element being provided with a surface adapted at its upper region to the taper of the tube and adapted at its lower region to the yarn package.
 7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein means are provided for supporting said hose member at three sides.
 8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including a controllable valve for operably connecting said hose member with a pressure source.
 9. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including means for collapsing said hose member.
 10. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said collapsing means comprise a controllable valve for connecting said hose member with a vacuum source.
 11. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said means for collapsing said hose member are effective in a sequence staggered over a certain time interval.
 12. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said means for collapsing the hose member are restoring springs arranged between the stops and acting against the hose member.
 13. The apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said springs possess different spring characteristics.
 14. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said stops are arranged in offset relationship relative to the spindles by approximately one-half the spindle gauge and in a direction towards the interior of the machine, the outside profile of said stops being adapted to the outside profile of the tube and the yarn package in order to hold the tube and bobbin therebetween.
 15. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said hose member is formed from a non-elastic expandable material.
 16. The apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein said hose member is formed from a reinforced flexible material. 